Instrument carrying case



Dec. 27, 1960 H. c. LITTLEJOHN INSTRUMENT CARRYING CASE Filed Nov. 5, 1959 4 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY? United States Patent INSTRUNIENT CARRYING CASE Henry C. Littlejohn, Lexington, Mass., assignor to General Radio Company, West Concord, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 850,563

8 Claims. (Cl. 206-4513) The present invention relates to carrying and display apparatus and, more particularly, to carrying cases for instruments and the like, such as, for example, electrical equipment and similar devices.

Numerous types of carrying cases have been evolved throughout the years for instruments, such as electrical meters, bridge circuits, stroboscopic equipment, and a host of other types of electrical and mechanical devices, which will enable the ready portability of the equipment and render the same adaptable for use, when needed. It has long been desirable, however, to provide in a simple, single structure, a carrying case that not only protects the instrument and the like, during transit, but that, in and of itself, adapts the instrument for display in a plurality of positions that would otherwise require the propping of the equipment at various angles in order to enable the instrument to be observed from various positions in its normal uses. An object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide such a novel carrying and display case, that, through the utilization of a single, simple mechanism, enables the instrument and the like, not only to be protected during transit, but provides infinite flexibility in orientation of the instrument for viewing, and with automatic fixing of the instrument in the desired position.

A further object is to provide a new and improved carrying case of more general utility, as well.

Other and further objects will. be explained hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in connection with the appended claims.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 of which is a perspective view of the apparatus, comprising a carrying case for an instrument and the like, in the closed or portable position;

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views, illustrating the adjustment of the device to display the instrument at a ninetydegree or upright angle and at any desired intermediate angle, respectively; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the carrying-case cover inverted through 180, and the apparatus placed on its side to display the instrument and the like, therein, in an upright position.

Referring to Fig. l, the carrying case is shown comprising a hollow base 1 of preferred rectangular configuration, though such shape is not essential to the practice of the invention. The base may be provided with legs 3 to provide one of the stationary reference supports of the apparatus. On each side of the apparatus, a preferably planar flange 5 is secured at a portion 7 of the side of the base 1 below a preferably resilient lip 9 defining the mouth of the hollow base 1. The flanges 5 extend upward from opposite sides of the base 1, external to the corresponding side walls 11 of the hollow cover 2. The cover 2 may contain therein an instrument 12 which may be permanently constructed as part of the cover 2, or may be secured within the hollow cover, if desired.

In the upper right-hand corner of the substantially planar flange 5 shown in Figs. 1 to 3, there is provided a first pivot pin 13, about which the arms 15 of a U-shaped lever mechanism 6 may be pivoted. The arms 15 extend to the right in Figs. 1 to 3, and upward in Fig. 4, to define the neck 17 of the U-shaped member 6, that may be provided with a handlegrip region 4, displaced from the end wall 11 of the cover 2, for enabling pivoting about the pivot 13 upon the flange 5, by elevating and depressing the handle 4. An extension 19, inward of the carrying case, terminates in a further pivot pin 21 that is secured to an intermediate, preferably substantially centrally located, region of the wall 11 of the cover 2. In Fig. 2, accordingly, the handle 4 is shown depressed to pivot the cover 2, carrying the instrument and the like 12, upward about the pivot point 13. In view of the further pivot 21, the cover 2 will tilt about the pivot 21, in the direction of the arrows, thereby to adjust the angle of inclination of the cover-carried instrument and the like 12, to any desired value, illustrated in Fig. 2 as a ninety-degree or upward position, and, in Fig. 3, as in intermediate angle. The lower edge of the cover 2, will rest at 23 within and against the preferably resilient peripheral portion 9 of the mouth of the base 1, thus automatically maintaining the cover-carried instrument 12 at the adjusted angle for viewing or other purposes. An infinite number of positions of adjustment may be thus obtained through the double pivoting and tilting action, before described; the apparatus, indeed, being adaptable to convert from the closed position of Fig. 1, wherein the instrument is facedown between the cover 2 and base 1, and thus protected from the elements for carrying purposes, to the substantially inverted position with respect to the plane of the base 1, Fig. 3, wherein the instrument is adapted for viewing from above, or, upon turning the complete equipment through ninety degrees, from the upright position of Fig. 4, wherein it rests upon the peripheral external lip of the base 1 and further feet 3 upon the cover end walls 11'.

A locking mechanism comprising a pin 25 that is laterally slidable in a slot 27 disposed in the extension 19 of the lever 6, between the pivot points 13 and 21, is adapted to cooperate with a locking detent 29 in the upper lefthand corner of the flange 5. Thus, in Fig. l, the retraction of the pin 25 to the right, as illustrated by the arrow, will cause the same to enter the locking detent 29 and will lock the cover 2 in the closed position within or against the lip 9 of the base 1. Similar remarks apply to the locked inverted position of Fig. 4. Detaching of the locking mechanism, through sliding the pin 25 to the left, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, will permit the double pivoting and tilting action, before-described. It will be observed, moreover, that the substantially straight line, shown as horizontal in Fig. 1, containing the pivot points 13 and 21 and the locking mechanism 25, are disposed substantially half way up the wall 11, of the cover 2 in order to permit the one hundred eighty degree adjustment.

Other types of locking mechanisms may obviously be employed, as may other configurations of the parts, it being understood that further modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A case for the carrying and multiple-position-displaying of an instrument and the like having, in combination, a stationary base, a cover for receiving therein an instrument and the like, flange means extending upward from a portion of a side of the base external to the corresponding wall of the cover and provided with a first pivot means, lever means pivoted about the said pivot means and provided with extensions on either side thereof, the extension on one side terminating in a further pivot means disposed intermediate the said wall of the cover at a point beyond the flange means, and the extension on the other side having a handgrip displaced from the adjacent wall of the cover, in order that the cover carrying the instrument and the like may be pivoted about the flange means upon elevating and depressing the handgrip and, upon tilting the cover, about the lever means through one-hundred eighty degrees, thereby to permit the cover to enclose the instrument between itself and the base in one position, to display the instrument upright with the inverted cover resting upon the base in another position, and to provide any desired intermediate angle of orientation of the cover containing the instrument and the like with respect to the plane of the base with different oppositely disposed portions of the side edges of the said adjacent wall of the cover resting upon corresponding peripheral portions of the base, whereby the instrument and the like is displayed at any desired angle of inclination.

2. A case as claimed in claim 1 and in which the said flange means is provided on each of opposite sides of the base, the lever means is of substantially U-shape with the neck thereof serving as the handgrip and the arms thereof serving as the extensions and being pivoted at the said first and further pivot means at each of the corresponding opposite sides of the cover.

3. A case as claimed in claim 2 and in which the said arms of the U-shaped lever means extend substantially in a straight line in the said one position, with the first and further pivot means lying therealong.

4. A case as claimed in claim 2 and in which the lever and flange means are provided with cooperative detachable locking means.

5. A case as claimed in claim 2 and in which the first pivot means of each flange means is disposed near the side of the flange means closest to the said adjacent cover wall.

6. A case as claimed in claim 2 and in which the height of the flange means and of the said pivot means above the base corresponds substantially to half the height of the cover.

7. A case as claimed in claim 2 and in which the said peripheral portions of the base are provided with a resilient lip within which the cover may fit.

8. A case as claimed in claim 2 and in which at least one end wall of the cover is provided with feet.

No references cited. 

